The Forgiveness of Sin
Sharon W. Betters
TODAY’S TREASURE
I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins (Isaiah 43:25).
The Sons of Korah's history is a redemption story, reminding us of God’s amazing grace. As I finished up yesterday’s devotional, one thought kept nagging me. What about those who cannot forget their past sins, who live in the fear of exposure, or are dealing with the consequences of sin? Let the Word of the Lord act as a healing balm for your wounded heart.
Our God chooses not to remember our sin:
For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin (Hebrews 10:14-18).
When we experience the forgiveness of sin through the sacrifice of God’s Son, Jesus, He will not hold our sin against us or treat us as our sins deserve:
As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us (Psalm 103:12).
Jesus paid it all! His death on the cross satisfied the payment for the sins of His people.
LIFE-GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT
While we deserve death because of our sin against our Holy God, He extends love and grace to each of His children:
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Our God forgives and removes our sin and sees us through the sacrifice of Jesus. Not only that, He commissions us to reflect Jesus and to be ministers of reconciliation:
that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:19-21).
With all of this grace and mercy, you would think we would not sin. Yet, I give in to temptation:
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8).
Though now a child of God, I often fail to reflect Jesus in my interactions with others. God’s Word gives me hope – I am in the process of learning how to show others what God has done in my heart. God knows we are frail, so in perfect love, God makes provision for us to be restored to our relationship with Him:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
When we sin, again and again, we can take hope in knowing we are not alone. Paul describes his own struggle to resist temptation and then reminds us to remember God forgives and chooses to forget (Romans 7, 8). Even more comforting is how Paul follows up this transparent war in his own heart with this declaration:
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).
Unlike humans, God does not bring up our sins when we humbly seek forgiveness. Our own memory of our sin should lead us to unmeasured gratitude for Jesus’ sacrifice and the Father’s promise to remove our sins from us as far as the east is from the west.
Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained (Philippians 3:13-16).
May the truth of God’s Word lead you to the heart of Jesus.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sharon W. Betters is a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, pastor’s wife, and cofounder of MARKINC Ministries, where she is the Director of Resource Development. Sharon is the author of several books, including Treasures of Encouragement, Treasures in Darkness, and co-author with Susan Hunt of Aging with Grace. She is the co-host of the Help & Hope podcast and writes Daily Treasure, an online devotional.
For more from Daily Treasure please visit MARKINC.ORG.
Originally published Thursday, 16 June 2022.
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